CENTRAL POINT, Ore.—The Southwest Region Council of the Access and Habitat program will host a public meeting Nov. 30 at 3:30 p.m. to discuss a possible new Travel Management Area to be known as the Coos Mountain TMA within the Tioga Wildlife Management unit.

The meeting will be held atODFW’s Central Point office,1495 East Gregory Road. Attend in person or call 1-877-336-1831 and enter participant code 804246.

Commercial timberland ownership in the area has shifted in recent years. The new TMA would provide “Welcome to Hunt” access on 63,000 acres so that hunters would have access to more private and public land in the area. TMAs typically involve some motor vehicle restrictions and help regulate access so private landowners are more willing to open their property to hunters.

The A and H program funds projects that provide hunter access and/or improve wildlife habitat on private land in Oregon. It’s funded by a $4 surcharge on hunting licenses and big game auction and raffle tag sales.

I talked with you on the phone today. Afterward I called Dominic Rocco the biologist in Charleston and he explained some of the plan, but he did not have a map of the area.

Would you have a map of the Coos Mtn TMA? If you can, please send any links or info relating to this project?

Sincerely,Rob Taylor

Hi Rob,Here is the proposed project area map. Let me know if I can help to track down any additional project information. I believe that the proposal will be publicized if it’s accepted after the first round of review. Of course, the review meeting is public and you’re welcome to attend in person, or by phone. If you have any specific concerns that you want documented, I’m happy to record them to share with the public review council.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announce the reopening of recreational and commercial bay crabbing from the north jetty of the Coquille River to the north jetty of Coos Bay. The reopening includes crab harvested in bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties. Crab samples taken from the area indicate levels of domoic acid have dropped and remain below the alert level.

The recreational crabbing season in the ocean closed coast-wide on Oct. 16.

Crab harvesting remains closed from the California border to the north jetty of the Coquille River (including the Coquille estuary), and from Tahkenitch Creek (north of Winchester Bay) to Cape Foulweather (north of Newport). Crabbing north of Cape Foulweather to the Columbia River remains open in bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties.

Today’s test results and health advisory come at a complicated time of year for Oregon’s crab fisheries. By rule, Dec. 1 is Oregon’s earliest annual start for ocean crabbing, for both commercial and recreational fisheries. However, this year, due to low crab meat yield and elevated levels of biotoxins in some areas, much of Oregon’s ocean area remains closed to crabbing after Dec. 1. Additional testing for meat yield and biotoxin levels will continue at least through the end of December.

For both recreational and commercial crab fishermen, below is a simple guide for what is currently open and closed. Before you go crabbing, please confirm the status of ODFW/ODA harvest areas relative to concerns about elevated biotoxins at the website below.

Recreational crabbing – Currently open in all bays and estuaries that are not under the health advisory; opens after Dec. 1 in ocean areas where biotoxins are below the alert level.

Commercial ocean crabbing – Delayed in all areas until at least December 16.

Commercial bay crabbing – Commercial bay crabbing is re-opened in Coos Bay on Monday, Nov. 27; commercial bay crabbing remains closed from the California border to the north jetty of the Coquille River (including the Coquille estuary), and from Tahkenitch Creek to Cape Foulweather. Commercial bay crabbing remains open at this time in bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties within the areas that are not under the health advisory.

All commercial bay crabbing will be closed as of Dec. 1 along with the delayed season for the commercial ocean fishery, according to existing ODFW rules. This year, the commercial ocean fishery is delayed from Dec. 1 until at least Dec. 16.

Nov. 16, 2017NEWPORT, Ore. – The traditional Dec. 1 opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season will be delayed until at least Dec. 16 along the entire Oregon coast as testing shows crabs are too low in meat yield.

The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season in Oregon is targeted to open Dec. 1, but can be delayed to ensure a high-quality product to consumers and avoid wastage of the resource. Crab quality testing in early November showed that none of the test areas met the criteria for a Dec. 1 opening. The delayed opening will allow for crabs to fill with more meat.

A second round of crab quality testing will occur in late November or early December, and the results will be used to determine if the season should open Dec. 16, be further delayed, or be split into two areas with different opening dates.

Currently there are crab closures in effect for recreationally and commercially harvested crab from bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties due to elevated levels of domoic acid from Cape Foulweather to Tahkenitch Creek and from north jetty of Coos Bay to the California border. Crab harvesting outside of these areas remains open in bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties.

In conjunction with the delayed ocean commercial season, commercial harvest of Dungeness crab in Oregon bays that are currently open will close at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 1, but may reopen if the ocean commercial fishery opens in December. Recreational harvest of Dungeness crab in the ocean off Oregon will open Dec. 1 as scheduled in areas where there are no Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) health advisories.

Despite the delay of the ocean fishery and because of the health closure in portions of the state, crab and shellfish products sold in retail markets and restaurants remain safe for consumers. The closure in the health advisory area ensures safety and the delay in the commercial ocean season promotes a high quality harvest. For more information on ODA health closures, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures web page.

Commercial Dungeness crab is Oregon’s most valuable fishery. Last year’s season opening was also delayed but still brought in the highest ex-vessel value ever ($62.7 million) with 20.4 million pounds landed, about 22 percent above the 10-year average.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announce the reopening of recreational and commercial mussel harvesting from the south jetty of the Columbia River to the north jetty of Yaquina Bay at Newport. Shellfish samples taken from the area indicate levels of the paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) have dropped below the ;alert level. The area was originally closed to mussel harvesting October 13.

As a result, all mussel harvesting is now open along the entire Oregon coast.Meanwhile, razor clamming remains open only from Columbia River to Cascade Head, north of Lincoln City. The harvesting of razor clams remains closed from Cascade Head south to the ;California border due to elevated levels of domoic acid.

The recreational harvest of bay clams remains open along the entire Oregon coast.

ROSEBURG, Ore – This week, ODFW is stocking “pounders,” rainbow trout averaging just over a pound each, into Coos Bay area lakes for a great fall trout fishing opportunity. The weather is cooling, but the trout are still biting.

Within the city limits of Coos Bay, Upper Empire Lake is getting 3,500 trout. Lower Empire is choked with weeds and has a low water level with water temperatures too high to safely stock rainbows. Those fish instead will be split between Saunders and Butterfield lakes which will each receive 1,200 trout.

Saunders Lake is about five miles north of North Bend and is an easily accessed, pleasant place to take the family fishing. Next to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Butterfield Lake is accessed through Riley Ranch County Park. Anglers at Butterfield Lake might also hook into a warmouth, an unusual fish that looks like a crappie with a bass head

Bradley Lake, just three miles south of Bandon and Powers Pond are also being stocked this week with these pounders.

Willamette steelhead on verge of extinction due to increasing sea lion presence at Willamette Falls

Monday, August 7, 2017

SALEM, Ore. – One of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest’s iconic fish, native steelhead trout, have been migrating over Willamette Falls in Portland to spawn in Cascade Mountain rivers for millennia. They are now at high risk of going extinct, based on a new analysis by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1999 due primarily to the impacts of federal dams and habitat loss, wild native Willamette steelhead have now slipped to high risk of extinction. Willamette steelhead now face a new and growing threat from male sea lions that have learned to exploit the fish as they congregate below Willamette Falls before navigating upriver to spawn.

Continuing a decade-long downward trend, the number of wild steelhead returning to the upper Willamette this year was the lowest on record, with only 512 fish passing above the Willamette Falls. ODFW scientists found that sea lions consumed at least one quarter of the wild steelhead run and warned that if sea lion predation continues at these levels, there is an up to 90 percent probability that at least one wild steelhead population will go extinct as a direct result of the predation. The near-term risk of wild steelhead extinction can be significantly reduced or avoided by limiting sea lion access to Willamette Falls.

“We know what the problem is and have seen this coming for about a decade, we just couldn’t take action to prevent it,” said Dr. Shaun Clements from ODFW.

California sea lions have expanded along the West Coast over the past four decades to a population of nearly 300,000 animals coast-wide today. As numbers increased, a small proportion of sea lions – all males – have expanded their range into freshwater areas where migrating salmon and steelhead are especially vulnerable, including in places such as Ballard Locks in Washington, Bonneville Dam, and at the Willamette Falls, where fish tend to congregate before moving upstream. At these locations, predation by sea lions is especially high and adversely impacts salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon. In the 1980s, sea lion predation on winter steelhead at Ballard Locks in Seattle effectively destroyed the Lake Washington stock.

“Removal of a few problem individuals will have no impact on the overall sea lion population but can significantly benefit ESA-listed fish,” said Robin Brown, lead scientist for ODFW’s marine mammal program.

Any solution to address the threats to wild fish populations will have to strike a balance between the recovery of imperiled salmon and steelhead populations and the ongoing conservation of sea lions. Also at stake are significant regional investments in recovery efforts, such as improvements in fish passage at dams, restoration of fish habitat, and implementation of fishing regulations that prohibit anglers from harvesting wild fish. ODFW scientists have determined that curtailing the immediate impact created by sea lion predation is essential to saving the steelhead from extinction to support the success of long-term recovery efforts.

Sea lions are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The MMPA, unlike the ESA, has fewer tools for managers to use to balance the conservation of predators and prey and prevent these situations in locations where fish are most vulnerable. Sections of the MMPA were revised in 1994 to allow limited management ofsea lions for the purpose of protecting ESA-listed salmon and steelhead. Unfortunately, the revisions do not allow for proactive management and cannot address emergencies like that occurring at Willamette Falls.

“We are in on-going discussions with state and tribal fishery managers and several stakeholder groups,” said Dr. Clements, “Given the situation at Willamette Falls, everyone is united in their call for swift action, and ODFW stands ready to provide expertise to the Northwest congressional delegation on a bipartisan, compromise bill to revise the MMPA to address these emergency situations without undermining the strength and importance of this law.” Bills in the House and Senate; H.R. 2083, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), and S 1702, sponsored by Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), represent the first steps toward that goal.

“We are at a point where any more delays in the Willamette may condemn this run to extinction,” Clements said. “We need to act now or extinction may be our legacy.”

Upper Willamette wild steelhead have been listed as “threatened” under the federal ESA since March 1999. ODFW has not allowed harvest of these fish for more than 20 years. California sea lion populations are robust, and the animals are not listed under the Endangered Species Act, but are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Commercial crabbing closed from Coos Bay north jetty to Heceta Head due to domoic acid

February 2, 2017The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announce the closure of the commercial crab fishery from the north jetty of Coos Bay to Heceta Head, north of Florence, due to elevated levels of domoic acid in crab viscera. The area is also closed to recreational harvest.

Crab meat remains safe for consumption. Domoic acid levels are elevated only in crab viscera, or the guts, of crab sampled and tested from this area of the Oregon coast. The closure is limited to that portion of the central coast. Areas south of Coos Bay and north of Heceta Head remain open to commercial crabbing.

To protect consumers, all crab that has been landed from the closed area since January 25th and currently in the harvest process will have the viscera removed by ODA-licensed processors to eliminate the biotoxin before crab goes to market.

Crab fishermen will be allowed in the closed area over the next week to clear out their fishing operations, after which a full fishing prohibition goes into place in the closed area.

ODA and ODFW will continue working closely with the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab industry to monitor the entire coast for domoic acid by testing crab and other shellfish. Additional samples will be tested and restrictions on Dungeness crab harvesting in the closed area will be lifted as domoic acid decreases to safe levels.

Domoic acid is a naturally occurring biotoxin produced by marine phytoplankton or algae that grow and bloom during certain seasons. When the algae are in high numbers, the biotoxin they produce is eaten and concentrated by crabs and other species.

Eating shellfish that is contaminated with domoic acid can cause illness in humans within minutes to hours resulting in cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, consumption can result in memory problems or even death. The toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking, adding baking soda, or any other method. Anyone experiencing these symptoms after eating seafood should contact a physician immediately.

Fortunately for crab consumers, the majority of domoic acid resides in the internal organs– not the meat– and is effectively removed through “evisceration” (also known as “backing”) of the crab, to remove the internal organs.

Despite the closure, all crab meat and shellfish products sold in retail markets and restaurants remain safe for consumers; whole cook crab are safe, once they have been eviscerated. For more information, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures web page at http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/FoodSafety/Shellfish/Pages/ShellfishClosures.

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW is currently accepting applications for several positions on the statewide board and regional councils for the Access and Habitat Program. Apply by Monday, Jan. 30, 2017 to be considered.The positions being recruited are:

All positions are volunteer. People with an interest and experience in forestry, agriculture or ranching, and hunting and wildlife conservation are encouraged to apply. Applicants should be willing and able to work collaboratively with landowners, sportsmen’s groups, ODFW staff and other government agencies to facilitate the A&H Program.

Regional council applicants should live or work in the region they want to represent (see map). Duties of the position including participation in up to four public meetings each year in various communities in their region to review A&H project proposals and conduct other council business.

Statewide board members are appointed to four-year terms by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. They meet four times each year in various communities throughout the state to review project funding applications, hear public testimony and act as liaisons between the program and the public. The Board is made up of seven volunteers — three landowner representatives, three hunter representatives, and the Chair — who review and recommend wildlife habitat improvement and hunting access projects to the Commission.

The Access and Habitat Program is funded by a $4 surcharge on hunting licenses. Funds are distributed through grants to individual and corporate landowners, conservation organizations, and others for wildlife habitat improvement and projects to provide hunter access throughout the state.

The feds own 53% of Oregon, which is entirely too much land to be in the hands of bureaucracies in DC. The state retains less than 3% ownership of state land, which translates to about 1.7 million acres. The Elliot forest makes up about 93,000 acres of that total, which means there is plenty of public/government property for outdoor recreation.

Some of the groups who are opposed to the sale are hunters, hikers, anglers and other outdoorsman and they are under the impression that someone, in this case the government, should provide them the land for those activities.

Even though, they have a right to pursue the hunt, the hike, and the fish, unfortunately the US government has no Constitutional authority to use the might of its force to keep property off the market to provide the natural resources for those endeavors. The state constitution does allow for land conservation, but does not specify how much of.the land except in Article VII. The state has to be limited to what it can own or there is no private property rights.

Oregon´s Constitution, Article VIII, Section 5(2), specifies that the Board…shall manage lands under its jurisdiction with the object of obtaining the greatest benefit for the people of this state, consistent with the conservation of this resource under sound techniques of land management.

The "greatest" way for the individual or group of individuals to attain the means of their pursuit is to buy the land outright for their own desires and pay the same taxes as the rest of us, which is too much.

The way to lower those property taxes is to get more property in the market by selling government property to the public. Then it is time to close down the Oregon Department of State Lands for even more savings.

The proof of my claim is in the following statement from a local environmentalist group trying to rile up hunters, anglers and others….Rob T.

December 13, 2016:This is not an LNG relateditem but very important just the same. CALLING ON ALL HUNTERS AND FISHERMEN. Private forest landowners like Weyerhaeuser have now all but priced locals out of their lands for hunting and fishing, unless you can afford their exuberant fees… In addition to the State’s hunting licensing and permit fees, Weyerhaeuser charged an additional $700 for two people in my family to hunt for 5 days on their lands last year. This is exactly what we can expect from the Elliott too, if the State allows our public lands to be sold to private companies. The Elliott State Forest — 92,000 acres of your public lands — is in the process of being sold by the State of Oregon. OnDecember 13ththe State Land Board will meet to decide the fate of the Elliott. Once your public land is gone it can never be recovered.

Department of State Lands to report on Elliott State Forest Ownership Transfer Opportunity on Dec. 13Salem - The Department of State Lands (DSL) will be providing information about the one ownership transfer plan received for the 82,500 acres of Common School lands within the Elliott State Forest at the State Land Board's Dec. 13 public meeting.

The meeting will be held in a different location to accommodate the public:

In the spring of 2014, after more than a decade of trying to resolve declining Common School Fund revenues from the Elliott, and confronted with a projection of ongoing deficits, DSL began a broad outreach effort to solicit public input into resolving the dilemma.

The results of this outreach and related technical analyses were presented to the Land Board, and in August 2015 the Board approved moving forward with an approach -- the Elliott State Forest Ownership Transfer Opportunity Protocol -- to identify a new owner for the Elliott property.

Over the past 16 months, DSL has been implementing the Protocol, engaging the public and about 50 entities that expressed interest, and completing extensive due diligence on the property. By the deadline of Nov. 15, 2016, DSL had received one ownership plan for the Elliott.

The plan was submitted by Lone Rock Timber Management Company, in cooperation with two federally recognized Indian tribes: The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, and with support and advice from additional organizations and tribes.

The plan was reviewed by the Department of State Lands and Department of Justice, and deemed responsive to the criteria outlined in the Protocol:

The plan demonstrates adequate equity investment and financing to acquire the Elliott Property at the established fair market value price of $220.8 million, in cash at closing.

The plan proposes enhanced public benefits as required by the Protocol that exceed those which are already provided under applicable law.

The plan recites enforceable mechanisms required for providing the enhanced public benefits in perpetuity.

While deemed responsive, the plan includes some gaps, uncertainties and ambiguities that will need to be addressed during negotiations with the potential ownership transferee and possible additional partners. The general areas needing further clarification include details regarding:

Public access rights, and compliance and means of public enforcement.

Expectations related to Harvest Protection Areas.

Allowable activities in Riparian Management Areas.

Enforceable mechanisms, including third-party enforcement rights in the conservation easement.

At the Dec. 13 meeting, DSL Director Jim Paul will provide the Land Board a summary of the background on the Elliott State Forest and an update on the status of the Protocol. He will present a summary of the proposed acquisition plan received, DSL's rationale for deeming the plan responsive, and additional details on concerns to be addressed through development of an offer of direct sale.

The Land Board will be asked to provide input and direction on proceeding with the development of an offer of direct sale, and on exploring options with the potential new owner and additional partners.

Public testimony will be accepted at the meeting. All speakers will need to sign in when they arrive. The Department anticipates a maximum of two minutes will be allotted to each speaker. It is possible that the time will be shorter if needed to accommodate the public requesting to speak.

People are encouraged to bring written copies of their comments in case time constraints prevent everyone from speaking. All oral and written comments will be made part of the official record.

The meeting will be held in a facility that is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you need assistance to participate in this meeting due to a disability, please notify Lorna Stafford at (503) 986-5224 or lorna.stafford@state.or.us at least two working days prior to the meeting.

The State Land Board consists of Governor Kate Brown, Secretary of State Jeanne P. Atkins and State Treasurer Ted Wheeler. The Department of State Lands administers diverse natural and fiscal resources. Many of the resources generate revenue for the Common School Fund, such as state-owned rangelands and timberlands, waterway leases, estates for which no will or heirs exist, and unclaimed property. Twice a year, the agency distributes fund investment earnings to support K-12 public schools. The agency also administers Oregon's Removal-Fill Law, which requires people removing or filling certain amounts of material in waters of the state to obtain a permit.

State Land BoardSince statehood in 1859, the Land Board has been composed of the Governor (chair), Secretary of State and State Treasurer. Governor Kate Brown was sworn in as Oregon's 38th Governor on February 18, 2015. Brown was elected Oregon's Secretary of State in 2008, and previously served in the Oregon Legislature for 17 years (1991-2008), where she became Oregon's first woman to serve as the Senate Majority Leader. Gov. Brown appointed Secretary of State Jeanne P. Atkins​ in March 2015. Atkins served for six years as state director for U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (2009-2015), and held a variety of top-level positions with the Oregon Legislature and Department of Human Services. State Treasurer Ted Wheeler began his service in 2010. Wheeler served as Multnomah County chair from November 2006-March 2010, and worked previously in the financial industry with Bank of America and the Copper Mountain Trust.

Oregon's Constitution directs the Land Board to manage lands under its jurisdiction to obtain the greatest benefit for the people of Oregon, consistent with resource conservation and sound land management. The board oversees the Common School Fund and state lands dedicated to providing revenue for the fund.

Beginning with Ohio in 1802, the U.S. Congress awarded specific sections of land to states when they entered the Union with the stipulation that the proceeds from these lands be used for educational purposes. In Oregon, the lands originally granted by Congress under the Oregon Admission Act included roughly 6% of the new state´s land for the use of schools.

The state also received all of the submerged and submersible lands underlying navigable waterways.

These lands and their mineral, timber and other resources, along with the income from the lands, were dedicated to Oregon´s Common School Fund, a trust for the benefit of the state´s public K-12 schools.

Oregon´s Constitution, Article VIII, Section 5(2), specifies that the Board…shall manage lands under its jurisdiction with the object of obtaining the greatest benefit for the people of this state, consistent with the conservation of this resource under sound techniques of land management.

Over the years, many of the original school land sections were sold or traded to private individuals and other agencies. Today, the Board´s land base includes nearly 1.6 million acres of state land and resource assets, including agricultural and range land in eastern Oregon, forest land in western Oregon, numerous small tracts, and the submerged and submersible lands beneath the state´s tidally-influenced and navigable waterways. The Board also holds title to mineral rights on all these lands and manages the mineral rights on other state agency lands (about 2 million acres total).

The Board leases state lands and other resources to public and private interests for a variety of business activities. Rangeland is leased to ranchers for grazing, timber is sold, and waterway areas are leased for uses such as sand and gravel removal, houseboat moorages, marinas and log storage.

The Department of State Lands, as the administrative agency of the Land Board, manages these activities with the exception of forest land management, which is performed by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry under a contract with the Land Board. The rents and royalties received from these activities are deposited in the Common School Fund.

ROSEBURG, Ore – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists confirmed one Coos County black-tailed deer died from a viral infection and suspect several others succumbed to the same disease this past summer.

Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD) is a virus transmitted by direct contact between deer, making it easier to spread in areas of high deer concentrations. This is particularly a concern where people feed and water deer since it unnaturally concentrates them in a small area.

Deer with AHD can have clinical signs common to other diseases and include: rapid or open mouth breathing, foaming or drooling at the mouth, diarrhea (possibly bloody), weakness and emaciation.ODFW asks the public to report sightings of deer with these symptoms in Coos County and coastal Douglas County to 541-888-5515.

District Wildlife Biologist Stuart Love said his office received several reports of deer dying in yards in the past month that he suspects had AHD.

“If these deer died from AHD, then feeding them will potentially spread this disease to other deer rapidly. It’s very important people don’t provide water sources or feed for deer for this reason. Their bodies are built for browse and grass, not grain.”

Love said this is the first confirmed case of AHD in Coos County. In 2001, it was confirmed in deer from southwest Oregon, then spread to the central part of the state.

There are no known cases of humans getting sick from AHD or getting the disease from consuming the meat of a deer infected by AHD. With hunting season here, Love said it’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves when handling the carcass of harvested deer and to thoroughly cook the meat.

SALEM, Ore.--The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a series of town hall meetings around the state this month to gather public input on the agency's proposed 2017-2019 budget.

The proposed budget, which is being developed by ODFW and an external budget advisory committee, will be presented for review and comment at the meetings listed below. All meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“This is a great opportunity for us to meet with our customers and get their feedback,” said Curt Melcher, ODFW director. “I encourage folks to attend, meet with our staff and learn more about our funding proposals to manage Oregon’s fish and wildlife.”

No major changes to the budget are being proposed. The goal of the budget proposal is to align the agency’s activities with funding sources. The proposed 2017-19 budget does not include any new increases in fees for recreational and commercial licenses.

Public comments will be used to help refine the budget before it is presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on June 9. Once a proposed budget is approved by the Commission, it will be submitted to the Governor for her consideration. The budget will ultimately be determined by the 2017 Legislature.

Additional ODFW budget information can be found on the ODFW website, http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/budget/Comments on the agency proposed budget are welcome and can be submitted through June 1, 2016, by email to ODFW.Comments@state.or.us or by mail to ODFW Director’s Office, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE, Salem, OR 7302-1142. Public testimony will also be heard at the Commission meeting on June 9 in Salem.###Contact:Richard HargraveOregon Department of Fish and WildlifeRichard.J.Hargrave@state.or.us(503) 947-6020

TILLAMOOK, Ore. – Harassment, or “hazing”, of double-crested cormorants is set to begin soon in several areas along the Oregon Coast to improve survival of juvenile salmon.

Double-crested cormorants are fish-eating waterbirds that occur throughout the state. The species is an Oregon native, and is particularly prevalent on the state’s estuaries during April through October. Research indicates cormorants can consume significant numbers of juvenile salmon during this time period.

To reduce the threat to young fish, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is working with several nonprofit and local governmental organizations to haze cormorants on six coastal estuaries over the next two to four months.

Hazing will involve driving the birds from locations where juvenile salmon are seasonally concentrated, toward areas where non-salmon fish species are more abundant. Workers will use boats and, on some estuaries, small pyrotechnics, to accomplish the task.

Hazing is intended to increase the survival of both wild-spawned and hatchery salmon juveniles as they migrate to the ocean. Some of these spring migrants represent species that are experiencing conditions of conservation risk, including coho salmon, which is federally threatened in Oregon under the Endangered Species Act.

Hazing workers are being provided by the Clatsop County Fisheries Project, Port of Nehalem, Port of Bandon, North Coast Salmon and Steelhead Enhancement Fund, and Alsea Sportsmen’s Association. ODFW will provide a portion of the funding and program oversight, and will conduct some hazing operations itself to protect hatchery releases on the lower Columbia River.

Hazing will take place as early as April 1 and continue through May 31 on the Nehalem, Nestucca, and Coquille river estuaries, and on Tillamook and Alsea bays. The program will continue through at least July 31 on the lower Columbia River, where hazing will occur at a variety of locations, including Young’s Bay, Blind Slough, and Tongue Point.

ROSEBURG, Ore – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff will share a draft management plan for the new Coquille Valley Wildlife Area on Wednesday, March 2 at the Owens Building, 201 N Adams Street, Coquille from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

After a short presentation, staff will answer questions and take public comments on the proposed plan. Read the draft plan.The five-year plan will guide management actions on the 580-acre wildlife area. The draft plan calls for ODFW to:

Provide a variety of quality fish and wildlife oriented recreational and educational opportunities.

Maintain the CVWA to provide habitat benefits to fish and wildlife consistent with ODFW’s mission and neighboring land use.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission heard the draft plan proposal at its February 12 meeting and will decide whether to adopt the final plan at their April 22 meeting in Bandon.The majority of lands that compose the CVWA were acquired by ODFW beginning in 2013 with additional lands purchased from willing landowners in 2014 and 2015.The CVWA is made up of the Winter Lake Tract and the Beaver Slough Tract located between Coquille and Bandon along Highway 42 and North Bank Lane.

The following is the NOAA draft proposal for the area including the south coast for your reading pleasure. For those on Johnson and Two-Mile there is even a special section. These proposed rules will affect not only agriculture, but also timberlands.

Currently ODF is considering extended riparian buffer rules. Several of you may wonder why you should be concerned. The new regulations will affect some operations in what NOAA deems "no kill" of beavers rule included in the proposal.

Skip to 6.3.5 Strategies and Actions for the Mid-South Coast Stratum on Page 168 if you do not want to go through the entire proposal…..Rob T.

Also ask for increased penalties for unlawful taking of wolves and Oregon ESA change to allow partial delisting of species in future

November 9, 2015SALEM, Ore.—The Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to delist wolves from the state Endangered Species Act throughout Oregon today.

The meeting began at 8 a.m. and adjourned at 6:44 p.m. About 106 people came to testify and they were limited to three minutes each.

Commissioners thanked the public for coming to testify and asked that interests on both sides of the issue continue to work with each other.

Chair Finley noted the many people “some in cowboy hats and others in t-shirts supporting wolves” who came out to testify on opposite sides of the issue because they care about wolves. “The Wolf Plan has been working well and you are all responsible for that,” he told the public still in the meeting at the end of the day. “We will remember the merits of the Wolf Plan and the next one will be as good or better. You can all help that happen.”

With the Commission’s decision made, the rule will be filed with the Secretary of State tomorrow, Nov. 10. The filing removes wolves from the state ESA but has no other effect on wolf management at this time.

The Wolf Plan continues to provide protection of wolves into the future. Any take of wolves is tightly regulated in all phases of the plan. Non-lethal preventive measures to prevent wolf-livestock conflict are the first choice of wildlife managers in all phases of wolf management. There is no general season sport hunting of wolves allowed in any phase of the Wolf Plan.

Wolves in western Oregon will continue to be managed with ESA-like protections until they reach the conservation objective of four breeding pairs for three consecutive years. This is known as Phase 1 of wolf management.Additionally, west of Hwys 395-78-95 wolves are also still listed under the federal Endangered Species Act and the Commission’s action has no effect on their federal status.

Wolves in eastern Oregon moved to Phase 2 of management earlier this year. They will move to Phase 3 after ODFW documents seven breeding pairs for three consecutive years, which could occur as early as January 2017. In Phase 3 while wolves are delisted, controlled take of wolves in situations of chronic depredation or wolf-related declines of prey populations (deer and elk) is allowed with Commission approval.

The vote was not unanimous. Commissioner Greg Wolley voted not to delist while Commissioner Laura Anderson supported delisting only in the eastern part of the state and voted against the motion.

Other Commissioners also expressed support for delisting in eastern Oregon only. However, they noted that Oregon ESA law does not allow for delisting in only a portion of the state. Commissioners will be sending a note to the Oregon State Legislature asking that the law be changed so that listing and delisting would be allowed in only a portion of the state for other species in the future. Commissioners also asked that penalties for unlawfully taking a wolf be increased. Currently, the maximum penalty is a $6,250 fine and a year in jail and that penalty does not change with the delisting of wolves.

The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in Oregon. Its next meeting is Dec. 4 in Portland.###Contact:Michelle DennehyOregon Fish and WildlifeMichelle.N.Dennehy@state.or.us(503) 947–6022 or cell (503) 931-2749

Hey Folks,In the General Election of 2012, the citizens of Coos County passed a resolution opposing the planned 5,000-acre Bandon Marsh expansion by the USFWS.Many of us contended that The Service was going to use federal, state, and nongovernmental agencies, to do a 17,000-acre expansion.We were wrong.The expansion is even larger.Here is a link to an interactive map of areas set for wetland restoration:http://arcg.is/1OTTqTYThe following is the announcement from Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife concerning possible Conservation Opportunity Areas in the state with maps showing the federal government’s progressive land grab in the Coquille Valley and beyond.It will eventually affect every person living in Coos County…..Rob T.

We wanted to let you know that the statewide Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) map is now available, including the remaining ecoregions. Arty Rodriguez, ODFW GIS analyst, has put together an updated online interactive map you can view here:

As before, please circulate this link to your colleagues as you see fit. The technical mapping process is completed, but if you have outstanding questions or comments on the results, please let us know as soon as possible. After next Tuesday August 11th we will have limited ability to make changes as the Strategy workplan turns towards writing the explanatory information for each COA (their “Profiles”), and the final online formatting of the Strategy so that we can complete the update by the October 1 deadline for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

As a brief reminder of the COA update process: We talked about the COA update process at our May 27 meeting. At that time, Arty (with close assistance from The Nature Conservancy and the US Fish and Wildlife Service) had just completed the first computer output using 2015 datasets to model COA boundaries, and we were beginning ODFW Fish and Wildlife District Biologist review. After many review sessions with district biologists throughout Oregon, Arty ran another iteration of the computer model, and the ODFW Conservation Program reviewed the output in detail to finalize the map now available above. The 2015 computer model results; 2005 COAs; and several additional landscape prioritization datasets (ex: TNC Willamette Synthesis and Statewide Portfolio, ODFW Sage-Grouse Core Areas, OWEB Focused Investment Partnership (FIP) areas and Salmon Strongholds provided by ODFW Conservation & Recovery, CHAT Connectivity Zones) were used in this final process to complete the 2015 COA map now available above. The statewide map will be presented at Friday’s Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting in Salem.

Some additional points about the COA update:· COAs are areas where we want to focus conservation efforts and funding, with an emphasis on helping Oregon’s private landowners. COA delineations are focused on Conservation Strategy Species and Habitats, and no COA is being selected for an individual species. · Clicking on COAs within the web map will bring up potential names for each COA. We are still working on names, and have posted a “working draft” list on Dropbox in case anyone has interest in taking a closer look. · The 2005 COAs encompassed ~26% of the state of Oregon. The 2015 version now covers ~%35, which was our estimated maximum allowance for COA coverage. · We decided to remove Wilderness Areas from the final COA designations. For the Strategy reader, we can provide links to more information about Wilderness Areas, including mapped information through ODFW’s Compass mapping application. Wilderness Areas helped the desktop analysis identify large blocks of land managed for native habitats, and in many cases COAs are near the boundary of Wilderness Areas. However, it was confusing to try to keep the Wilderness Areas as part of the final COA boundaries. Other public lands are considered depending on the situation. We will explain the role and recommended use of COAs for the Strategy reader through the web application

Thanks all and best wishes that you are getting some time to enjoy the summer. Best, Audrey

July 2, 2015NEWPORT, Ore. – After fishing last weekend nearly exhausted the available spring quota, the spring all-depth Pacific halibut fishery on Oregon’s central coast is closed until Aug. 7.“Last weekend there was just enough good weather and good fishing to push us to within 1,500 pounds of the spring all-depth quota,” said Lynn Mattes, ODFW’s project leader for halibut. “That’s not enough quota to open any additional days this spring, but that remaining quota will be added to the summer season that opens in August.”The spring all-depth Pacific halibut fishery for the central coast subarea (from Cape Falcon south to Humbug Mountain) was open 12 days over four different periods, resulting in the harvest of approximately 109,163 pounds of Pacific halibut.The summer all-depth fishery will open Aug. 7 with a quota of approximately 45,000 pounds. The summer season for the central coast all-depth fishery is scheduled to be open every other Friday and Saturday until the all-depth quota is taken or Oct. 31, whichever is earlier.Fishing for halibut in the Central Coast Subarea is still allowed seven days per week inside the 40-fathom line until the quota is reached or Oct. 31. On the north coast (the Columbia River Subarea; from Leadbetter Point, Wash., to Cape Falcon), nearshore halibut fishing is open seven days a week until the quota is taken or Sept. 30. On the south coast (the Southern Oregon Subarea; from Humbug Mountain to the OR/CA Border) the halibut fishery is open seven days per week until the quota is reached or Oct. 31.###Contact: Lynn Mattes (541) 867-4741 ext. 237 Maggie Sommer (541) 867-4741 ext. 227

Learn more about the Oregon Nearshore Strategy at ODFW public meetingsJune 26, 2015

SALEM, Ore – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting two public meetings to get input on a draft revision of the Oregon Nearshore Strategy, a non-regulatory planning document that provides a conservation blueprint for actions that benefit Oregon’s marine species and habitats.

ODFW staff will present information on the draft revision of the Nearshore Strategy and take public comments. Comments can also be emailed to Greg.Krutzikowsky@state.or.us or mailed to his attention at ODFW Marine Program, 2040 SE Marine Science Dr., Newport OR 97365. Comment period closes July 20, 2015. The draft strategy revision is posted here.

The Nearshore Strategy addresses species and habitats found in the nearshore ocean and saline portions of estuaries. It identifies priority actions in three main focus areas that contribute to conservation and sustainable use of nearshore resources: education and outreach; research and monitoring; and policy and management.

The strategy is part of a nationwide framework through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to encourage voluntary fish and wildlife conservation, and provide a central place for state, federal, tribal and local governments and special interest groups to find information to help reach their conservation goals.

June 8, 2015ROSEBURG, Ore – Anyone interested in the Coquille Valley Wildlife Area (CVWA) is encouraged to attend a public meeting June 18 in the Owens Building, Coos County Annex, 225 N. Adams, Coquille from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is presenting a draft management plan, answering questions and taking public comments.The draft plan describes issues facing CVWA and actions to address them. These include restoration projects to increase historic Coho and Chinook salmon habitats; re-establishing a forested wetland habitat to benefit salmon, cutthroat trout and lamprey; managing the landscape to provide food and rest for migrating birds; and providing access and quality waterfowl hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities.Comments received by July 2 will be incorporated into a final draft presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission for review and adoption at its August 7 meeting in Salem. The public can also testify at the Commission meeting. Comments can be emailed to Jeffrey.b.jackson@state.or.us or mailed to Jeff Jackson, ODFW, PO Box 5003, Charleston OR 97420.Once finalized, the adaptive CVWA Management Plan will be reviewed within five years and at least every 10 years thereafter to make any necessary changes.In 2013, ODFW exchanged its land on the east side of Eel Lake for nearly 584 acres in the lower Coquille River drainage belonging to Bandon Biota LLC. The Nature Conservancy assisted in the exchange and the CVWA now encompasses 584 acres in two parcels, the Winter Lake and Beaver Slough tracts.ODFW created a stakeholder committee that met over the course of two years to include the surrounding community’s interests in creation of the CVWA. The stakeholders included Oregon Hunter’s Association, South Slough National Estuarine Reserve, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Beaver Slough and Coaledo Drainage Districts, China Camp Creek Duck Club, adjacent landowners, representatives from local hunters, commercial and recreational fishing interests, and ODFW.###Contact: Jeff Jackson or Stuart Love, 541-888-5515 Tim Walters, 541-440-3353

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About the Author

Rob Taylor is a concerned citizen tired of government waste.The blog is used to post information about events & issues that will have some effect on the people of Coos County.

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